Beginner Pattern

I learned all the stunts one by one and, I'm flying the whole beginner pattern now from start to finish. It feels different when you only get to do each stunt once and, it has to be good the first time.

One thing I'm not clear on is how many laps to do between each stunt. I remember something about 2 laps between stunts so, how many laps between take off and the wing over? If you do too many laps between stunts do you lose points?

My tank has enough fuel to do the pattern twice. If your tank runs too long will you lose points?

Giffy

Congratulations, you are now incurably hooked and destined to go for the complete pattern. Yes, there is a penalty for overflying the time of 8 minutes for the complete pattern. There are two level laps between each maneuver. I recommend you learn the entire pattern now. You will only get better with each flight. Go for it.

So, 4 1/2 laps after takeoff then the wingover?

Do you get scored for doing the stunts directly over the launch point of the plane? Example: the start point of the inside loops or the center of the eights.

Thanks,
Giffy

Actually takeoff and level flight is a 3 lap manuever, then 2 laps after that you can go into the wingover. That is a minimum of 5 laps. The 1st lap is takeoff and then 2 level laps are judged.
If you want the real skinny on what to do, get a rule book and read the judges guide. This will tell you what we're looking for.
Bill

You can look up the rules on the AMA website and download the PDF file to your computer and print it. You are allowed to fly extra level laps between maneuvers, and you can point at where you want to do your next maneuver, and wait for the judges to get into position to see your best effort. Rejoice in knowing that flying a pattern of maneuvers reduces the risks, for two reasons. 1) You are not likely to run out of fuel in the middle of something, once you get your fuel load and time worked out. 2) You won't be as likely to have brain fade and fail to pullout because you couldn't decide which direction to turn. Steve

http://www.modelaircraft.org/templates/ama/compreg.asp

The first step in approaching any competition is to carefully read the rules. I have not done this a couple of times and it cost me. No need to repeat that mistake, as I have already done it.

Let's see...
6 laps from take off to wingover.
2 laps between maneuvers after that.
The only tricky place is overhead 8: you need to fly 2.5 laps before it.

Some will suggest that you should learn the full pampa pattern instead of concentrating on beginner patter. I suggest you get comfortable flying beginner pattern first. When I started learning the full pattern, I found it very comforting and confidence boosting knowing that I can consistently fly HALF of the pattern maneuvers. I was also able to concentrate on putting up a good performance at a contest instead of worrying if I am going to crash or not.

A quick clarification on Tom's 8 minute point. You have 8 minutes from the time you signal the judges before you start the plane, till they quit judging.

When they quit judging and you are still flying, they won't grade the landing, ergo, no points for it. Since no points for the landing, you didn't do the full pattern (in their eyes), ergo, no pattern points.

Honestly, I have no idea how well the rules read, as I've never read them. It was several contests before I even knew the takeoff was a 3 lap maneuver, all I knew was my friends said: takeoff, do 5 laps then start the pattern, put at least 2 laps between things. Some rule books are hard to decipher. It's good to know them, but for medium to low level control line stuff, a few rules of thumb will get you comfortably into things, then it's a lot easier to understand what they're talking about in the rulebook. You know, how do you find a word in the dictionary to spell it correctly, if you can't spell it?

Where's the "wuh wuh" in one? There's a "wuh wuh" in two, and you don't even use it! Comedian Gallagher.

Tools

Be aware that, while the official pattern time limit in PAMPA is eight minutes, many (most) beginner events (including the Nats) announce and use a 6 minute time limit for the beginner pattern. This is more than enough--almost enough for two--but encourages the beginner to get into fuel / duration management.

FWIW